Practice

Walking & Passing Notes

Step 9 of 10 · Beginner Bass Path

Connect chords with approach notes and walkups so every change lands on beat one.

What you'll learn

  • Play approach notes that set up the next chord change
  • Build the root–3–5–approach walkup, one beat per note
  • Use chromatic passing notes that resolve on the downbeat
  • Steal walking moves from real blues and jazz bass licks

So far you have jumped between roots; walking connects them. The core move is the approach note: on beat four, play a note one scale step or one fret below (or above) the next chord's root, so that when beat one lands it feels inevitable.

The classic four-beat walkup is root–3–5–approach: root on one, the third on two, the fifth on three, and an approach note into the next root on four — the major scale from step 7 supplies the third, and the shape from step 6 supplies the fifth. Once your ear trusts it, almost any note works for a beat if it is clearly walking somewhere: that is the chromatic passing note, the sound of blues and jazz bass.

Hear both moves at work: the ii–V–I walking lick lands each new root by step or half-step, and the blues turnaround walk climbs on chromatic passing tones. Then generate endless examples with the bass line generator and steal the moves you like. The routine below adds approach notes to the I–IV–V you already play — a deliberate step up from the last drill.

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